![]() ![]() When asked by TechCrunch, a customer service staff said the store has temporarily halted shipping due to “a water leak in the warehouse.” When we pressed further, the person said it was due to “an electrical-equipment failure.” Tgbus, one of the largest console game sellers on Taobao with 462,000 followers, currently has zero product listing. It’s unclear how many imported consoles and console games were taken down from Taobao and what triggered the purge. Several major videogame console importers on Taobao have suspended business. The games that are brought in normally lack a Chinese gaming license, which is hard to obtain even by local publishers. ![]() These products normally enter China through parallel trading, the import of legitimate goods through unauthorized channels. Many Chinese players thus resort to brick-and-mortar electronics bazaars and online marketplaces to find imported editions of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, along with their games. But the grey market largely persisted because mainland Chinese versions of the consoles are subject to strict regulatory oversight, which limits users’ choice to a small friendly range approved by censors. Nintendo Switch hit the Chinese shelves in 2019 via a much-anticipated partnership with Tencent, which itself is the world’s largest gaming firm. When China finally lifted its restriction on consoles in 2015, giants like Sony and Microsoft quickly responded by releasing Chinese editions of their products through local partners. Meanwhile, the online PC and mobile gaming industry flourished, in part thanks to their affordability and the social experience built into their mechanics. Even with the ban, imported consoles still existed in the grey market targeting a group of loyal players. In 2000, China banned the sale and import of videogame consoles as concerns over addiction in teenagers grew. Before we examine what might be happening here, a bit of industry history is needed. There remains a community of hardcore console lovers, but they are finding it harder to get hold of devices and cartridges recently.Ī handful of grey market videogame console vendors on Taobao stopped selling and shipping this week, according to checks by TechCrunch and online posts by gamers. ![]() “They’re wary of collateral damage, of tainting themselves,” Qiao said.Īssociated Press writer Lynn Berry contributed to this report from Moscow.In the world’s largest gaming market, China, console games play a relatively small part as their revenue has been meager compared to mobile and PC games for years - at least by the official numbers (more on this later). The government is aware of that and is likely muting its coverage of Ferguson to avoid comparisons with Xinjiang, said Qiao Mu, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University’s Center for International Communications Studies. “They want to avoid holding an unintended public education campaign.” could open the window for more critical self-reflection among Chinese citizens, especially minority groups, Ding said. The danger is that overplaying its criticism of the U.S. Critics say the ensuing security crackdown has led to widespread abuses, including the killing of civilians. The issues of racism and social unrest are also delicate one for China, which has been shaken by a rising number of protests and a string of violent incidents blamed on Uighur radicals seeking to shake off Chinese rule over Xinjiang. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt. ![]()
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